Consumption of Natural Rubber (NR) in 2016-17 has increased to 1044,075 tonne from 994,415 tonne in 2015-16, mainly due to rise in the demand of auto tyre sector, informed Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Monday.
Production of NR in the country in 2016-17 was 691,000 tonne (provisional) against the consumption of 1044075 tonne of NR in tyre and non-tyre sectors.
There have been demands from Tyre Manufacturing Industry to rectify the duty structure as the Basic Customs Duty on Tyre is 10 percent as against that of Natural Rubber duty is 25 percent or Rs. 30/kg. whichever is lower. The matter was examined in the Department and in view of the prevailing situation of the rubber sector the proposal was not agreed to.
In order to increase production of Natural Rubber in the country the Government through the Rubber Board is implementing the scheme “Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector” wherein support is provided for plantation development and extension, strengthening research, technology upgradation and market development, Human resource development etc.
So far as artificial/synthetic rubber is concerned, Chemical & Petrochemical Industry is delicensed and decontrolled and Government acts as facilitator in this sector, the minister said.
- SME Times News Bureau
